Parrikar in Goa, likely to meet CM over RSS state unit issue

Panaji, Sep 4: Amid rumblings in RSS's Goa unit following the ouster of its chief Subhash Velingkar, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has arrived in the state and is likely to meet Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today.

Parrikar landed here last night at about 9.30 PM.

"He is likely to meet the Chief Minister to take stock of the situation," a senior BJP leader today said on the condition of anonymity.

The crucial meeting between the two leaders is kept away from the media glare considering the sensitivity of the issue.

Parrikar is also expected to meet state BJP leaders during his stay here. He is likely to be here till Tuesday as the state will celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi festival tomorrow.

The senior BJP leader would be attending festivities at his ancestral place in Parra near Mapusa town. Velingkar had taken on the BJP government in Goa over its support for English-medium schools and was ousted from his post as RSS's state unit chief on August 31.

He had blamed Parrikar and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for the action against him. Velingkar, who claimed that hundreds of RSS workers and supporters have rallied behind him, had also asserted that the Sangh unit in the state will function independently of the parent body, at least till the Assembly polls.

However, later striking a conciliatory note he had said there was no rift in the organisation and the differences would be sorted out soon.

PTI